INVISIBLE STRING, jack hughes ⋆ ★

thirty-four

✧˖*°࿐ I ONLY SEE HIM AS A FRIEND
(THE BIGGEST LIE IVE EVER SAID)
olivia rodrigo

The arena began to empty out, the fans going home with smiles on their faces.

"My dad's giving us a ride." Aven reminded Bella as they began to make their way through the Prudential Center. She tripped, holding onto the wall to stop herself from face planting. "What the fuck?"

"Sorry." Luke snorted, cupping a hand over his mouth. "I didn't realize I was that close to you."

Quinn's face was red as he rolled his lips into his mouth.

"Luke, you're not my favorite anymore." Aven narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And who is? Jack?" Luke teased, watching her face fall. "Seriously, what the fuck was that?"

Aven shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" Luke cocked a brow. "Then, what's in your purse, Aves? A little gift from the man of the hour?"

Aven rolled her eyes, staring at the floor. "I don't know what's wrong with him. I don't want to talk about this. Let's just go."

She kept walking, her body language closed off as she hugged herself slightly. The group stopped at the locker room. "Go ahead. I have to use the bathroom."

Quinn opened the door, Bella following behind him.

"I'm sorry." Luke blurted. "I'm just trying to lighten your mood. I know we aren't close or anything but I like you. I know he does too. He'll realize it."

Aven had her lips parted as the curly haired boy smiled softly, letting the door shut behind him. She could feel her cheeks grow red at his compassion as she brushed her hair from her face, walking towards the bathroom.

"You did so good." She smiled up at him, her arms around his neck, her bright blue eyes batting seductively.

"Thanks, babe." Jack lifted his hands from her waist to tuck her hair behind her ear, kissing the side of her head. "I'm happy you were here."

Jacks head cocked to the side, his eyes trailing from her face to the end of the hall. His hands dropped her as she stared at him with confusion.

Aven watched the two, feeling her eyes burn with tears. "I'm sorry. Please, continue."

She walked off, speed walking. She breathed heavily, hearing panicked footsteps following her. She threw open the doors to the practice rink, silence filled the room.

Aven plopped down in one of the seats, staring out at the ice.

The doors shutting didn't make her flinch, she didn't move. She was quick to lift her hand to wipe her eyes.

Jack came to stand in front of her, sweat still clinging to his forehead as his gear was only half off. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Don't be." Aven shrugged, resting the side of her head on her palm. "You should go back. She's probably waiting for you."

"No, Aven." Jack heaved. "I'm sorry for everything."

Aven swallowed, shaking her head. "Don't. You should take your puck back."

"No." Jack protested. "I gave it to you for a reason. What I said at the beach, I meant it. You know that, right?"

"Yeah." Aven nodded slowly. "Did you mean everything you've ever said to me?"

Jack furrowed his brows. "Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I don't know how you can love someone so much then get a girlfriend barely a month after you break up." Aven forced a chuckle, her eyes coming to meet his, her stare cold.

Jack had guilt written across his features. "I did love you. I still do. I just...I don't know. You left."

"I did that for you." Aven stood to her feet, his height still making her shorter. "I left so you could be happy. I didn't have to do that! They could have traded your ass."

"I know!" Jack shot back, growing frustrated. "I...I tried to get him to rethink it. I went to him every day for a week."

Aven could feel her eyes soften as she stared at him. "You did? Why would you do that?"

"Because, fuck, I wanted you here. This is my sport and this is my new home but none of this made sense without you. I knew from the day we kissed that hockey was you." Jack breathed, the desperation in his voice made her shiver.

"You said that loving me puts your career on the line." Aven argued, biting her bottom lip.

Jack ran his eyes over her face. "I know. And it was true, clearly. I begged for him to give us a chance."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Aven asked, tilting her head.

"Because you left. It was too late." Jack shrugged. "No matter what I said would fix it. So...I just had to accept it."

Aven hummed. "And accepting it is getting a new girlfriend? 'Cause that's the perfect solution to your problems."

"Don't act so fucking innocent." Jack chuckled, staring at her with a glow of anger.

"Excuse me?" Aven ran her tongue over her teeth. "What the fuck does that mean, Jack?"

Jack stepped closer to her, flickering his eyes between hers. "Mark?"

"Nothing happened between us. I was drunk." Aven crossed her arms, her head tilted slightly upwards. "I'm done fighting with you. Let's just go back to how it should be."

"And what's that?" Jack asked, intrigued.

"Strangers." The insincere sound of her voice made him falter as he shook his head.

Jack ran a hand over his chin. "If that's how you want it to be. Then so be it. I'm done trying to fix this. I'm not fighting for us anymore."

"You never did." Aven furrowed her brows, feeling her walls cave as her eyes began to fill. "Have fun with her, Hughes. I hope loving her wasn't as hard." She scrunched her nose up, mocking him slightly as she tapped his arm.

Aven turned her back to him, rushing out of the arena as she crossed her hands over her stomach, feeling her dinner have the urge to come up.

i hate making them beef 💔